A Delicate Question

rosebette

So this might rank under the TMI category, but I have had a chronic problem with constipation, and when I stick very close to my calorie goals, I might go as seldom as once every 3-4 days, and then very small amounts. I eat plenty of fiber and even take a fiber supplement daily. I was just on vacation, not tracking, and of course eating things that weren't on plan. I was very regular, and on some days, went even more often than once a day. It was a fairly active vacation, lots of hiking and walking around, but I wear a fitbit, and I can't say I burned anymore than I do at home. I got on the scale Thursday at the resort's fitness center, and my weight was exactly the same as before I left on Saturday. I am up 3 lbs. now, but I'm also attributing some of that to water retention from the flight home (and being constantly fed and bev'd flying first class!). My question is whether I should be upping my calories a bit or shifting the fat content of my diet. Could it be that when I'm within calorie goals, there just isn't that much waste to get rid of? On the other hand, if I'm retaining waste at that low calorie level, that can't be a good thing and could be adding a couple of extra lbs. Of course, I'm also wondering about macros, too, since some say fat can play a role in regularity. What is an appropriate fat content? Right now I'm set at 35% protein, 35% carbs, and 30% fat. Another thing, I did have an extreme digestive reaction to simple carbs and sugars, quite the opposite of what you'd expect. On the last two times I've traveled, I've hand almost diarrhea like symptoms after eating high carb/low fiber things like pancakes or french toast with syrup. (I never eat white bread or "white" food at home.)

257_Lag

The first thing I would look at is fat. Plenty of people (especially new) cut out too much fat and have this problem.

Neversettle78

I looked at your diary from August 1st onward, and honestly my head hurts now. I don't know what is causing your constipation. Perhaps asking a medical professional would be the first step.
So, since I can't assist you on the constipation I would like to address that I see several days that you ate at or below 1000 cals. I am not sure if there were items you missed logging on those days or not, but you should definitely be eating more than 1000 cals per day (one day you were under 800 cals).
Also, your calorie goal changes almost daily...sometimes it is 1000 cals per day as your goal and other days it is 1400, 1600, 2000+. I don't know what you are doing with it, but that seems to be an awful way to stay on track.
Just my un-asked for opinion. Have a great day.

Need2Exerc1se

257_Lag wrote: »

The first thing I would look at is fat. Plenty of people (especially new) cut out too much fat and have this problem.

This was my thought as well. Fat keeps things moving.

VeryKatie

Maybe you're taking too much fiber also. How would you estimate your fiber intake was during your vacation? Too much fiber makes constipation worse. 25-35g daily is recommended but that doesn't mean it's right for your body. Fiber is supposed to help you regulate and keep you feeling full. I don't know if it really has any other benefits than that.

You could try also upping fat to 35% and see how that helps.

ETA:

I looked at your diary and it seems like through July and August your fiber intake ranges from 7g a day to 40g a day... maybe try getting roughly the same amount of fiber a day. Aim for 25g perhaps? You're trying to regulate your body, so perhaps regulating your fiber intake will help. I'm not sure though.

I also saw lots of days you're eating under 1200. Poop may not happen on calories that low. I know you have day where you're more like 1400-1600 but you might want to consider eating more... do a gradual increase so that you can test if you're still losing weight.

mbaker566

fat is important. fluids as well. eat more. more fiber.

Francl27

I agree with fat being the culprit. I'm thinking what gave you diarrhea wasn't the white flour in your pancakes or French toast but all the extra fat that comes with it, and you're not used to that much fat anymore... so you pooped it out (ok, TMI, but it happened to me too when I was eating low fat!).

37g of fat a day is VERY low. I'd decrease your protein and increase your fat, at this point.

rosebette

Neversettle78 wrote: »

I looked at your diary from August 1st onward, and honestly my head hurts now. I don't know what is causing your constipation. Perhaps asking a medical professional would be the first step.
So, since I can't assist you on the constipation I would like to address that I see several days that you ate at or below 1000 cals. I am not sure if there were items you missed logging on those days or not, but you should definitely be eating more than 1000 cals per day (one day you were under 800 cals).
Also, your calorie goal changes almost daily...sometimes it is 1000 cals per day as your goal and other days it is 1400, 1600, 2000+. I don't know what you are doing with it, but that seems to be an awful way to stay on track.
Just my un-asked for opinion. Have a great day.

I had a couple of days when I went out to lunch at a buffet and didn't track, so those are my under 800 calorie days; I just didn't finish my diary on those days -- I know, my bad. My calorie goals are based on what my Fitbit and the the number MFP gives me sync'd with negative adjustments. My BMR is quite low, under 1100, so if I'm not active, I don't need many calories. (I had posted a while back about concerns about a low metabolism, but most folks seemed to think this is normal for someone of my age and size.) I set a 1000 calorie base (because I'm small and older and still want a deficit). So, depending on my activity level, I could eat around 1000 (if I'm inactive) or 1400-1600 on more active days. 2000 calorie days are rare for me -- only if I do a kickboxing class or heavy activity and have additional exercise besides. The 2000+ calorie day on this Sunday was due to my fitbit not syncing the time change properly from flying from west to east, so it wasn't a true 2000 calorie day, but more like two days worth of calories/activity. In fact, I could have a lightly active day, just walking around, teaching on my feet, etc., and not burn more than 1300 according to my fitbit.

I think I'd be inclined to increase the fat and decrease the carbs because one of my other concerns is that I don't get enough protein and I'm trying to retain muscle.

editorgrrl

rosebette wrote: »

I had a couple of days when I went out to lunch at a buffet and didn't track.

I set a 1000 calorie base (because I'm small and older and still want a deficit). So, depending on my activity level, I could eat around 1000 (if I'm inactive) or 1400-1600 on more active days.

Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. If you eat at a reasonable deficit from that, you will lose weight.

Do not use a custom goal. Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

But if you're not logging everything you eat & drink accurately and honestly, then you have no idea how many calories or how much fiber & fat you're eating.

Tighten up your logging. Use MFP's fiber & protein goals as minimums, and ignore fat & carbs. And see a doctor—moving your bowels once every 3 or 4 days is not normal, and could have any number of causes.

rosebette

editorgrrl wrote: »

rosebette wrote: »

I had a couple of days when I went out to lunch at a buffet and didn't track.

I set a 1000 calorie base (because I'm small and older and still want a deficit). So, depending on my activity level, I could eat around 1000 (if I'm inactive) or 1400-1600 on more active days.

Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. If you eat at a reasonable deficit from that, you will lose weight.

Do not use a custom goal. Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

But if you're not logging everything you eat & drink accurately and honestly, then you have no idea how many calories or how much fiber & fat you're eating.

Tighten up your logging. Use MFP's fiber & protein goals as minimums, and ignore fat & carbs. And see a doctor—moving your bowels once every 3 or 4 days is not normal, and could have any number of causes.

The thing is -- if I use MFP to set my goal, it's set at 1200 calories base (because I have only between 5-10 lbs to lose), which is higher than my BMR. I also already have negative calorie adjustments enabled. Even according to MFP, my BMR is only around 1038. As I said, on a less active day (and I'm still not sedentary, since I work on my feet, so to speak), I'm burning only 1200-1300 calories, so 1200 calories would be 0 deficit. Granted, last week I didn't track because I was traveling and had limited wifi (and I wanted to enjoy my vacation of course), but on the least active day, when we did a train tour in the mountains, my fitbit was showing that I had used under 1100 calories. Under circumstances like that, eating 1200 calories would be "overeating." Also, if my tracking is sloppy, setting a low base helps to compensate for that. I must admit, I've gotten a lot better at tracking over the past few weeks, with the exception of the vacation. However, I think I will shift the macros that are currently being displayed.

pineapple_jojo

I feel your pain OP! I have the same problem and I eat fibre, fat, take fibre supplements, drink a couple of litres of water a day and work out six times a week. Total nightmare!!

I agree with the other comments about fat giving you diarrhoea, if I eat "junk food fat" (sorry not sure how else to describe it) then I get a really upset stomach; if I stick to olive oil, nuts, avocados and oily fish then I'm ok... Except I'm constipated!!

Bookmarking this thread to see if anyone has the answer!!

kshama2001

Are you drinking enough water?

oocdc2

I'm going to put myself on the flamer chopping block and offer this personal factoid: sucralose (a.k.a. Splenda) does a decent job of cleaning me out. A week of the RDA of Fiber One cereal for breakfast and unsweetened soymilk, and I'm pretty good. Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of artificial sweeteners, but 60 calories for 14 g of fiber is a good deal.

Avoid the whey protein mixes with sucralose: way too much, and you may have the opposite problem.

I'm very surprised your coffee for breakfast doesn't get you going: livescience.com/45465-why-does-coffee-make-you-poop.html

rosebette

I drink a lot of water, but often forget to log it. I drink coffee for breakfast, too! I've eaten Fiber One cereal and the bars, too -- no luck there. I must admit animal fats are more "effective" than "healthy" fats like nuts, olive oil, etc. My typical miracle cure is 2 strips of bacon on a salad or sandwich.

seltzermint555

Just chiming in to say that Fiber One and Activia and all of those foods "designed" to make a person go, have never worked for me at all. Simple exercise, water, and morning coffee do a lot more for me. I don't really do "cheat meals" or "cheat days" but on Saturdays I almost always walk or hike a LOT (hours) and eat richer meals like Thai food, Mexican and/or ice cream. Sundays I am a poo machine due to this. I don't mind and feel like it kind of helps my body cleanse itself. It's not uncomfortable or at all like diarrhea mind you.

Also when I first started using this site I had some pretty terrible constipation when I was eating a lot of baby spinach. With cooked chopped spinach I have no issues but I've found I cannot do baby spinach without issues. My husband is totally opposite. You have to find what works for you. Good luck!

rosebette

seltzermint555 wrote: »

Just chiming in to say that Fiber One and Activia and all of those foods "designed" to make a person go, have never worked for me at all. Simple exercise, water, and morning coffee do a lot more for me. I don't really do "cheat meals" or "cheat days" but on Saturdays I almost always walk or hike a LOT (hours) and eat richer meals like Thai food, Mexican and/or ice cream. Sundays I am a poo machine due to this. I don't mind and feel like it kind of helps my body cleanse itself. It's not uncomfortable or at all like diarrhea mind you.

Also when I first started using this site I had some pretty terrible constipation when I was eating a lot of baby spinach. With cooked chopped spinach I have no issues but I've found I cannot do baby spinach without issues. My husband is totally opposite. You have to find what works for you. Good luck!

Your week-end activity describes my entire week in Arizona (lots of hiking and Mexican food, and occasional ice cream, but ice cream there is not as good or rich as in New England). Your comment on spinach is interesting. When I was pregnant and on iron pills many years ago, I was extremely constipated to the point of misery, and spinach is a high iron food. I also eat a raw salad mix almost every day that consists of spinach and arugula. Like you, my husband is also the opposite. He considers going 2-3 times a day normal and often goes after every meal. If I went as much as he did, I'd weigh around 90 lbs.

Kalikel

Drink water, get regular exercise, eat lots of fruits and veggies. If you are going 4 or more days without pooping or feel that this is a real problem, call the doctor.

RodaRose

Fats and oils. Also magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate because they work as stool softeners. Take with water. Check with a pharmacist.
Are you on any medication? Lots of them cause this kind of thing. You can call the doc who has prescribed the medication.

Kassi_Lynn

Honestly as far as TMI you didn't give enough information, The color and size of your poop will tell you what your body is doing with it. Green can be a sign of stomach acid which means your body is processing to fast I.E. If It is long an thin its sitting in you too long. I would do a quick google on what your experiencing and look at the corresponding causes. It could be diet related or not it just depends. So as far as your weight loss goes its probably not related and your just fluctuating.

andympanda

Are you on any meds that list constipation as a side effect? Since diuretics effect a body's water and cause constipation. Also many anti depressants can cause constipation. some anti depressants are used to help people quite smoking or help then loose weight,

arditarose

257_Lag wrote: »

The first thing I would look at is fat. Plenty of people (especially new) cut out too much fat and have this problem.

Story of my life.

Also, you said you're getting a lot of fiber. Too much fiber, not enough fat=not fun times. My diary is full of it. After 3 weeks I'll be crying.

rosebette

I'm not on any meds at all, by the way. I already get plenty of fruits, vegetables, exercise, and water. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't have a problem in AZ since I was getting dehydrated during a couple of hikes, despite consuming beaucoup bottles of water.

Size and consistency -- eww.... don't know if I want to discuss that beyond when I'm constipated, spouse says I produce "rabbit turds."

ldrosophila

for some reason when I drink a soda or eat anything real sugary it helps with the going. And if you are eating below 1000 calories expect constipation youre slowing down the transit time of your intestines. Intestines love fat, fiber, fluids, fruit, probiotics and sometimes a boost from caffeine.

oocdc2

seltzermint555 wrote: »

Just chiming in to say that Fiber One and Activia and all of those foods "designed" to make a person go, have never worked for me at all. Simple exercise, water, and morning coffee do a lot more for me. I don't really do "cheat meals" or "cheat days" but on Saturdays I almost always walk or hike a LOT (hours) and eat richer meals like Thai food, Mexican and/or ice cream. Sundays I am a poo machine due to this. I don't mind and feel like it kind of helps my body cleanse itself. It's not uncomfortable or at all like diarrhea mind you.

Also when I first started using this site I had some pretty terrible constipation when I was eating a lot of baby spinach. With cooked chopped spinach I have no issues but I've found I cannot do baby spinach without issues. My husband is totally opposite. You have to find what works for you. Good luck!

Actually, I was talking about the sucralose, not the fiber, but it's good to hear that coffee works for you, too.

kk_inprogress

Fat. Fiber. Fluids.

If that doesn't work, physician. (Doesn't start with /f/ but do I still get props for alliteration if the phonemes SOUND the same?)

ValerieMartini2Olives

I have had many issues with digestion/poop/gall bladder (even though that wasn't your problem) and have suffered from uncontrollable Dumping Syndrome to severe constipation that made me bleed. I have never really been able to find a healthy balance. I'm close but not all the way there. I have issues with having a hard time to go. I find fruit or orange juice on an empty stomach helps me go and I also take Miralax a couple times a week. When I was pregnant, I HAD to take a stool softener every single day. That was when I was bleeding from the constipation.

AnnPT77

For what it's worth: I used to have problems with constipation, and was even diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome because of the related symptoms. This, despite getting plenty of fiber (I'm vegetarian, eat mostly whole foods, etc.).

When I became *much* more active (took up rowing, among other things) and began drinking *much* more water, it began to be less a problem. Reducing my stress levels helped more (I retired, but it could be different stressors for other people). It's rarely a problem any more, and if I have some temporary issue, I can usually identify why (busy day with fewer water breaks, typically).

You say you were on vacation, and very active (perhaps doing somewhat different active things than usual, too?). Given my history, I'm wondering whether stress & exercise could be contributing to your constipation.